The Ballad of Love and Hate
by Duchess of Erised
Summary: Having been in Australia with her parents for the last 6 years. Hermione goes back to Hogwarts as a Professor. As she tries to keep it together, the life she had planned for herself takes a different path. EWE? Rating for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One - Heartbreak in B-flat Minor

Hermione sat the letter on her bedside table. She couldn't remember the last time something made her smile this big. Yes she did. It was the day she got her first letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's amazing, she thought, that this letter was from the same place, but of much different content. This letter was from Headmistress Minerva McGonagall requesting her to fill the post of Professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts. Hermione was elated and filled with honor that she was being selected to join the prestigious staff of the school she felt was more like her true home.

She looked around at all her belongings so neatly and precisely arranged in her comfy flat. Everything she touched brought a different memory to her mind. The large collection of handmade scarfs from Molly Weasley. She could almost smell Christmas dinner when she caught the scent of one of the scarfs. Her large collection of books reminded her of Madame Pince and her incessant "hushing" towards the other students in the library. She glanced at the chest that contained all the gifts from George Weasley, which of course came from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and required Hermione to place a detailed charm on the chest so not to be open accidentally. She was happy George had decided to keep the shop open and running after the loss of Fred, he was doing an amazing job. Aside from the books regarding magic, her small cauldron with potion ingredients, the moving photographs, and of course her wand, there wasn't much sign in the entire flat that indicated a witch lived here. After everything that had happened she fell back into muggle life quite seamlessly. There were those few things however, that she wouldn't dream of letting go. She quickly typed up her resignation for her current job with a great deal of sadness. It was going to be difficult to leave this life behind, but she had done it once before when she was 11 and will do it once again at the age of 25.

She opened her trunks and began packing her whole life up for her move. It didn't seem like it had been that long ago when she had unpacked into her small flat in the first place. If she thought about it, it really wasn't that long ago. After the war and completing her NEWTS at Hogwarts, Hermione didn't know what she wanted to do. Harry and Ron didn't go back to Hogwarts for the exams but weren't surprised when Hermione saw no other choice. They went straight into Auror training and passed with flying colors the same time Hermione passed her NEWTS by Christmas. Hermione herself had even considered going into Auror training after school but just couldn't see herself doing that for the rest of her life. Despite the many job offers at the Ministry, Hermione had never been so confused about her future. It had completely thrown her off. She was Hermione Granger for Merlin's sake, the brains of The Golden Trio. How was it that SHE was the one that didn't know what to do with her life?

As she magically shrunk all the pictures she had scattered everywhere of her and her friends she remembered the events that led her to where she was now. Hermione and Ginny were in Diagon Alley looking for Ginny's wedding dress. Harry had proposed on Christmas Eve. He couldn't even make it to dinner before asking Ginny to marry him. Everyone at the Burrow went crazy with happiness. Molly spent the rest of the evening hugging everyone several times over. Planning began immediately and the dress had been the most difficult to date. Hermione was beginning to think she'd never get married herself if it meant she had to look at more dresses. As Maid of Honor though it was her duty to stick by Ginny's side and help her with the difficult decisions. Truly she was happy that Ginny had chosen her and enjoyed how in love she and Harry really were. Hermione was happy with the relationship she and Ron had. They were content, happy, and loved each other. She thought sometimes they were too content, that they acted more like they had already been married for ten years.

With her parents still in Australia, without knowledge of their daughter, she spent all of her time at The Burrow with the Weasley clan. It was lovely being with her friends all the time and the students that decided to go back to Hogwarts to complete their exams were giving the choice of staying in the castle or living by their own means. So each and every evening she went to the apparation point outside the gates of the castle and made it just in time for a delicious, home cooked meal by Mrs. Weasley. Needless to say, they fell into routine. Hermione would immediately begin studying as soon as she finished eating and Ron would at least pretend to look through his Auror training materials. Things were just falling into place. The new wore off very quickly, much sooner than she thought it should. Ron didn't even seem to notice a difference, "red flag number one", she thought. However, with the planning of Ginny and Harry's wedding, Hermione began to feel excited again. Secretly wondering which colors she would pick, what shape of dress would look best on her, and which Weird Sister song she wanted to dance to first. She also wondered how Ron might propose to her, or if he ever would.

Ginny walked out of the dressing room in a beautiful dress and Hermione wanted to cry with joy at how amazing she looked. The dress had a modern halter-top neckline, a smooth satin bodice, and at the hips began a river of tulle. She truly looked like a princess and was going to make a beautiful bride. Ginny beamed at her obviously loving the dress as much as she did. The saleswoman came over and gushed at Ginny, more than likely just wanting the sale. As Ginny was changing back into her regular clothing Hermione walked around browsing at some accessories she thought might go with the dress for her to look at when she was finished.

While looking at a particularly intricate diamond and pearl jewelry set she was startled by the sound of a woman bouncing gleefully into the dress shop. It was Lavender Brown. She walked in like she owned the place and began talking animatedly with the older woman Hermione believed to be the shop owner. After picking up a bit of their conversation, it made sense. Lavender acted like she owned the place because her mother did, in fact, own the store. Suddenly curious about what was making the mother/daughter pair so cheerful, she made her way closer to where they were standing pretending to look for proper shoes for Ginny. Clearly Lavender was bragging about her current beau to her mother. Last Hermione had heard she had been dating Dean Thomas, but that was always subject to change given her flaky ideals regarding love. Whoever the guy was seemed to be making her very excited about something. Perhaps Mrs. Brown was going to get to fit her daughter for a wedding dress. Hermione was jolted out of her vision of Lavender in a white dress with puffy shoulders and covered in sequins by the mention of a familiar name that wasn't Dean Thomas. "Had she just said…? Surely not", Hermione thought. She was basically staring at the pair when she heard it the second time.

"Yes mom. The same Ronald I dated a couple years ago. I told you he was still in love with me. It was just a matter of time before he came to his senses and realized I am ten times more fun than that boring know-it-all would ever be. He asked me to dinner tonight! My Won Won and I are together again!" Lavender said to her mother.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you guys so much for adding my story to your alerts and my very first comment/review! I was giddy! I really hope you guys are going to like this story and the rush of alerts and the comment made me unable to wait any longer to put out this next chapter. **

**Read/Review**

**-DoE**

***The wonderful L'Vanna let me know of a few canon errors (BIG THANKS) so I have corrected them. :) Enjoy.**

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><p>Chapter Two – Nothing Short of Thankful<p>

Hermione had finished packing every part of her life except the bare essentials she would need for her last night before leaving for Hogwarts. She had expected to live here the rest of her life. Now, just six years after moving to Australia to be with her parents, she was leaving again. It was nearing 5 o'clock and her parents would be getting off work soon. She showered and got dressed for her last dinner out with her parents. Since their home wasn't too far from hers she chose to walk the few blocks and enjoy the clear autumn evening. On her walk she actually thought she was going to miss Australia. A small tear came to her eye as she remembered landing in airport at Sydney for the first time. She didn't want to be tracked through the floo network so she opted to take the muggle transportation to find her parents. This gave her plenty of time to reflect on what had transpired, and with tears streaming she knew she made the right choice to leave.

It didn't take long to find their dentistry and she was very happy to find they had chosen to settle down in the big city of Sydney. She entered the office building and introduced herself to the receptionist as a dental hygienist in need of a job. The young girl asked her to take a sit and she would let Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins know she was there. After just a short time she was called back to their office. Once the door was shut Hermione began undoing the memory charm she had placed on her mother and father. Gradually she made them more aware of who they actually were and who she was, little by little the family was being mended back together. Much of the time directly after the spell was complete was spent hugging each other and crying. Once the initial shock and joy had died down she filled her parents in on exactly what had brought her to Australia. She told them about Harry and Ginny, the day at the dress shop, and then confronting Ron about Lavender. Explaining to her parents how he hadn't even tried to hide it, he just came out and confessed it was true. When he didn't even try to fight for Hermione to stay and not leave him she knew it was over. Her parents weren't surprised when she told them how Ginny and Molly had begged her to stay and Ron could go live at Grimauld Place until she found somewhere to go. Even Harry had offered to let her stay at Grimauld Place instead. She explained it was just too difficult and truly wanted to be with her parents again. After a few hours, and some rescheduling of appointments, Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins took their daughter home.

Hermione got a job very quickly and moved to a small flat a few blocks from her parents as soon as she could afford it. She went back to England for Harry and Ginny's wedding when it came around because she couldn't let Ginny down after everything she had done. Ron had been removed from the wedding party itself but was of course still in attendance. Molly may not have been happy with her son's choices but he was still her son after all. She didn't speak to him the entire evening and sensing her displeasure he chose to stay his distance as well. The wedding really did turn out to be beautiful and almost like a fairytale. Hermione honestly did enjoy her time with her friends and was happy when they had wanted her to move back to England, but explained to them that should couldn't leave her parents again and since they were so happy in Australia, she was going to stay there with them for the time being. Hermione hadn't made many friends other than her work acquaintances whom she liked very much and would miss now that she was moving back to Hogwarts.

She arrived at her parents house and they went to the restaurant together. As much as they had enjoyed having their daughter there with them in Sydney, they knew what Hogwarts meant to her. They knew Hermione was extremely intelligent and they couldn't be prouder of her for her accomplishments and being chosen to teach at the Wizarding school. They would miss their daughter very much but knew this was the best thing for her. Hermione was indeed excited about returning to her former school, she spent most of the meal talking about all her former teachers that would be there and couldn't wait to be counted among them as a colleague. She spoke animatedly about her fellow staff members and hoped she could prove to them she could be as good of a teacher as they are. Hermione felt her face flush a bit when she began speaking about her former potions Master, Severus Snape. Her mind seemed to race as she recounted for her parents everything he had done and gone through for the Wizarding world.

Her parents didn't have the heart to stop her and remind her that she had already told them, twice. They listened as intently as before as Hermione told them about Harry going back to Severus to collect his body to be properly buried and honored. Harry had knelt down and was talking to Severus' lifeless body about the final fall of Voldemort when he heard the slight gasp from Snape's mouth. Once back at Hogwarts and observed by Madame Pomfrey, she discovered the large amounts of anti-venom coursing through his veins. After a few months Severus Snape finally regained full consciousness and motor function and divulge to the Medi-Witch how he had been drinking generous amounts of the anti-venom after Arthur Wesley was attacked at the Ministry. The potions Master had already been cleared of all charges before waking up, once the truth about Dumbledore's death was recounted for the Ministry officials through the pensive. Once he had fully recovered he graciously returned to Hogwarts teaching Potions, having no desire to return to teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hermione blushed at the thought that she might be seated next to him at the staff table in the Great Hall.

The Grangers finished their last bites of dessert, left the restaurant and decided to part ways outside. Hermione wanted to make sure everything was ready and in order for her to leave by portkey first thing in the morning. She hugged and kissed her parents goodbye and promised to write to them, which they knew very well that she actually would.

Hermione began her walk home, it was farther home from the restaurant than from her parents but not far enough to consider wasting money on a taxi. The temperature outside had turned slightly chilly and Hermione was thankful for her ability to transfigure a couple of tissues from her purse into a pair of gloves and a hat. On her walk, she began thinking about why she had become so flustered when Severus Snape was brought into the conversation. She played it off in her mind as admiration for the war hero. How could anyone not be humbled in his presence. Harry Potter may have defeated the Dark Lord, but Severus Snape lost the most during the journey. She was suddenly very proud that she would get to work with him at Hogwarts.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three – One Line Wonder

Hermione awoke early the next morning and got a jump-start on getting  
>ready even though her portkey would not leave for a few hours. After showering and washing her hair, she wrapped up in her unpacked towel and began fixing her makeup. When her makeup was completed, she magically dried her and did a quick Scourgify on her towel and night clothes, before packing them in her trunk with all the rest of her shrunken belongings. She dressed in a pair of grey slacks, white button up shirt, and deep red cardigan. She slipped on some black sling back heels and looked at herself in the mirror. Hermione smirked slightly at her very muggle version of a Gryffindor. Having been out of the wizarding world for so long, she no longer had any robes. She would have to visit Madam Malkin's after getting settled into her rooms at Hogwarts. She thought it might be nice to do a little shopping in Diagon Alley when she got back actually. She's kept up with most of the goings on and changes in the wizarding world through <em>The Daily Prophet<em> she continued to receive in Sydney at the request of Ginny. She didn't like the thought of Hermione being so disconnected from everything. Between _The Daily Prophet_ and the constant letters from Ginny, she had not missed too much. She moved her trunk to the front door and made another sweep around the flat to make sure she had not left anything behind.  
>She noticed how much bigger it seemed to be with just the sparse pieces of furniture in the living room and bedroom. Since the professors rooms were equipped with the basic essentials she didn't need to bring her furniture with her. It worked out in the long run because she was able to rent it out for a better price. She had made an arranged with her parents for them to handle everything with the renters, and they would keep the funds in her account in Australia in case of emergencies, or as her mother divulged to her, possibly a wedding fund. Hermione had smiled and rolled her eyes at her mother assuring her she would get a wedding one day, although Hermione didn't believe it would happen anytime soon.<p>

Hermione glanced at the time on the microwave and realized the portkey would be leaving soon. She lifted the small compact mirror Minerva had enclosed with the letter, truly examining it for the first time. She noticed when shifted to one side to the other the Gryffindor crest roared in the reflection. She smiled and reminded herself how much she had missed her former professor, and her Gryffindor pride. At that moment, the mirror blazed in a bright blue and Hermione smiled to herself and said, "I'm going home."

She landed right in front of the gates to Hogwarts. Even now, after growing up the gates still made her feel so small. Hermione took a step forward and the gates opened. Once inside, as the gates began to close, she noticed a tall, slender female walking in her direction. She realized at once it was Headmistress McGonagall and let her trunk down and skipped forward to embrace one of the most influential women in her life. They walked to the castle together while levitating Hermione's trunk alongside them. The women were talking animatedly with one another all the way across the grounds, into the castle, and up to the headmistress' office. After they were seated in Minerva's office, the elder woman began discussing a few changes in the school and her fellow professors. Hermione was glad to hear most of her former professors were still teaching at Hogwarts. She knew, of course, that Flitwick wouldn't leave the post of Charms unless forced and Professor Trelawney would never "see" herself doing anything but teaching Divinations. Hermione, of course, already knew Severus had taken the place of Professor Slughorn. She was very intrigued to find out the person who had taken his post as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts was none other than Draco Malfoy.

Hermione read countless articles about the Malfoy family trying to regain a positive light in the wizarding world. Lucius was still in Azkaban for the crimes he committed while under Voldemort's reign. He sentence was lessened slightly due to the fact that he had stood down at the final moment of the battle. Draco and his mother, Narcissa, grieved only a short time before she began to rebuild the Malfoy name. Narcissa opened an orphanage for the children left parentless after the war or otherwise. It was extremely successful, some children had been adopted since, and several other wizarding families were active participants at the orphanage and with activities for the children. Draco began teaching, and revolutionizing, the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum. According to the headmistress, he was extremely dedicated to the post and the children were learning so much from him. Hermione asked her former professor why she hadn't seen any articles regarding Draco taking the position. The elder woman explained that Draco, unlike his mother, didn't need recognition from the Ministry as long as the people he had done wrong during the war knew he was trying to make amends and honestly turning a new leaf. After a long discussion regarding the other professors, and a few rules regarding the grounds of Hogwarts, Minerva showed Hermione to her rooms.

Her rooms were very close to Gryffindor Tower which she liked very much. Minerva instructed Hermione on the charm that would drop the wards and open the door. As the doors open, Hermione's eyes filled with joy. The front room was very spacious with a cream-colored sofa against one wall with red and gold throw pillows. There was a large matching ottoman placed in front of it and a match pair of deep red wingback chairs facing the sofa. On the wall adjacent to the sofa, there was an oak writing desk with matching tall ladder-back chair. The same wall contained at least a dozen inlaid shelves already stacked half-full of books. Past the front room was her bedroom, which was just as exquisite. The large bed was covered in fluffy white bedding with brilliant red accent pillow. There were perfectly sized dark oak tables on either side of the bed. The dark oak continued to the foot of the bed where a long bench sat with several throws folded neatly on top. Again, there were several shelves with a few books already placed on them to one side of the bed. She could see the door leading into the bathroom and the other that must be to her closet. Hermione turned to the Headmistress with the biggest smile on her face when Minerva spoke.  
>"Are the rooms to your liking?" she asked.<br>"They are more than I could have ever asked for or expected," Hermione practically yelled.  
>"Very good, now there's just one more thing, Professor Granger," Minerva said, with a glittering smile, very similar to Dumbledore's, Hermione thought. "Anything ma'am!" she said.<br>"I would like to ask you if you would consider being Head of Gryffindor House," Headmistress McGonagall said, to a now gaping Hermione Granger.


End file.
